About the Repair PDF
Fix a PDF that won't open or shows an error because its internal structure is damaged, for example after an interrupted download or a failed save. The tool rebuilds the file's index, recovers every page it can find and tells you honestly how much it got back.
Everything happens in your browser. The file isn't uploaded, and your original isn't changed.
How it works
A PDF ends with an index (the cross-reference table) that says where each part of the file is. When that index is missing or wrong, many apps give up. The tool scans the whole file for its parts, rebuilds the index and page list, and writes a clean copy.
The repaired copy is checked before you get it, and the result says exactly what happened: fully repaired (every page the file lists was recovered), partly repaired (with how many pages came back and which ones are incomplete), or couldn't be repaired. The tool never calls a file repaired when it can't prove it.
Assumptions and limits
- Repair can only recover what's still in the file. Most PDFs made by current apps keep their index and parts of every page at the end of the file, so a file that was cut off (an interrupted download or copy) usually can't be repaired: download or copy it again. Older-style files cut off at the end often come back partly.
- Some files store their page list in compressed sections; if those were lost, the tool can't tell how many pages there should be, and says so.
- PDFs that need a password must be unlocked first.
- Files up to 50 MB.
Worked examples
An interrupted download
An older-style 20-page report cut off at 70% comes back as 'Partly repaired: 15 of 20 pages recovered; 5 pages couldn't be found. Page 15 lost its content and may be blank or incomplete.' A modern PDF cut off at the end usually can't be repaired, and the page says so: download it again.
A broken index
A file whose cross-reference table points to the wrong places opens in no app. Repair rebuilds it: 'Fully repaired: all 20 pages the file lists were recovered'.
A file that wasn't damaged
If no problems are found, the page says so instead of pretending to fix it. You can still save a rebuilt copy if one app keeps refusing the file.
How to use the Repair PDF
- Choose the damaged PDF. Even a file without a valid PDF header is accepted.
- Repair it. The structure is rebuilt and checked.
- Read the verdict and download. See how many pages were recovered, then save the repaired copy.
Frequently asked questions
Can every damaged PDF be repaired?
No. Repair rebuilds a file's structure and recovers the pages that are still in it. Broken indexes and headers are usually fixable. A file whose end is missing, such as a cut-off download, often can't be repaired, because current PDFs store key parts there; the result tells you plainly.
How do I know the repair worked?
The verdict is based on checks, not hope: 'fully repaired' means every page the file lists was recovered and the new file passes a full structure check. Otherwise you see 'partly repaired' with the numbers, or 'couldn't be repaired'.
Is my file uploaded?
No. The repair happens in your browser on your device. Nothing from the file is sent to our server, and your original file isn't changed.
Why does it say no damage was found?
The whole file was checked and found nothing wrong with its structure. If one app still won't open it, the problem may be that app or a feature it doesn't support. You can save a freshly rebuilt copy and try that.
Can it repair a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. Remove the password first with Unlock PDF (you'll need the password), then repair the unlocked copy. The tool doesn't guess or crack passwords.
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you enter or upload stays on your device and is never sent to our servers.